This week in Central Arkansas’ beer scene kicks off in a couple of hours at Lost Forty Brewing, where the brewery’s Freshcut Monday release is a Christmas riff on a popular seasonal brew. Lost Forty is debuting Currant Mood: Mulling it Over today at 4 p.m. This variant brew takes the fall seasonal Currant Mood and adds mulling spices, including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger. The idea is to create a brew similar to a mulled tea or cider. This is a very small batch; there’s only one keg available, so it will be gone quickly. Get there soon after 4 p.m. to have a glass. Also at Lost Forty this coming Saturday is the Little Craft Show. The brewhouse will be hosting artisans and makers from around the state and beyond just in time to get your Christmas shopping done. The Little Craft Show is Saturday at Lost Forty from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
If there’s a beer style hitting Little Rock for the first time, it’s usually coming from Stone’s Throw Brewing. That’s the case with this week’s #NewBrewFriday at Stone’s Throw MacPark. This Friday, the brew team is tapping a Non-Alcoholic IPA, this first non-alcoholic beer I can remember released in Central Arkansas. This small batch recipe is single-hopped with Eureka hops in what head brewer Theron Cash calls a “tricky” recipe to create. Non-Alcoholic IPA goes on tap Friday at 4 p.m.
Flyway Brewing has a fantastic beer coming out soon, possibly as early as this week. The brewery is tapping a port barrel-aged blend of Honeybird blonde ale and Free Range brown ale. I got a sample of it this weekend and found a it to be complex, rich and fruity, with a powerful port nose and a satisfying, dry finish. The beer itself is ready; right now Flyway is waiting for a tap to get freed up. Keep an eye on their Facebook page, as you will definitely want to get a glass when it comes out.
There’s no new beer releases this week at Rebel Kettle, though the brewery has added one of its newest can addition to the tapwall. Dust & Diamond Double IPA is now on tap. It’s a New England-style double IPA made with Calypsa, Amarillo, Cryo, Citra and Mosaic hops. Previously it had been released in 4-pack cans on Black Friday, but now Rebel Kettle is putting it on draft. Stay tuned – I’ve been told that the release next week at Rebel Kettle is going to be a big one.
And there’s news from two future breweries that will be setting up shop in Central Arkansas. We’ve previously told you about Blade and Barrel, a new brewery/barber shop concept that will be opening in Jacksonville. Mike Green has signed the paperwork to bring Blade and Barrel to 140 John Harden Drive in Jacksonville and is targeting this coming summer for an opening date. Both Green and Jay Ragsdale, formerly of Diamond Bear Brewing Company, are working on this project. And construction is underway on the first brewery in Saline County. Burks Brothers Brewing is building a spot off Highway 5 west of Reynolds Road. Burks Brothers estimates it will be ready some time this spring.
Do you have any beer news to share with us? Email steveshuler@gmail.com.
RIP Damgoode Pies
November 20, 2023
